


My True Love Gave To Me

by Darksidechick



Series: The Ulterior Motives AU [4]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Gift Exchange, mentions of Hans' brothers, mild romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22036423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darksidechick/pseuds/Darksidechick
Summary: It's the first Christmas since the frozen summer, and Hans experiences his first gift exchange with Anna.
Relationships: Anna/Hans (Disney)
Series: The Ulterior Motives AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1571425
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	1. Anna

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the "Hansanna for the Holidays" fandom event on Tumblr. They were originally separate companion prompts.   
> Fitting in with the Ulterior Motives AU, this will be written from Hans' POV.

Anna was up to something. Hans was certain of it. Ever since December began, she had been acting differently. She no longer came to his study in the late afternoons to keep him company. During dinner, she hardly spoke about her day. If he prompted her, she always changed the subject. And she even stopped barging into his bedchamber at night.

What was even more troubling was that now her bedroom door was locked. All of the time. When he knocked in the evenings, she would only speak from the other side of the door. It never opened. As the days went on, his suspicions and curiosity grew, along with his worries. The mourning period for Queen Elsa was practically at an end, and Anna was finally coming back to her smiling, bubbly, energetic self that he knew on that fateful day they met. Now, she was giving him the cold shoulder. What could have happened? There were no lies between them, No secrets. He had nothing to hide, so there couldn’t be anything damning about him to reach her ears.

Her continuing puzzling behavior was starting to eat away at him. As he stood in his bedroom undressing, another thought came to him. Several of his brothers had visited recently. What if _they_ spread vicious lies about him to her?

 _I wouldn’t put it past those monsters._ He thought to himself. _I’m sure they would find great delight in making sure my Christmas gets ruined—and not just the holiday. Turning Anna against me would just be another one of their twisted little games—_

“Hans?” There was a soft knock at the door, and hearing Anna’s voice made him freeze in place. “Hans are you in there? C-can I come in?”

Her voice was a little off. She sounded nervous. Was she about to confront him about her behavior?

_Well, nothing would come out if she stayed in the hall…_

“Anna,” he said softly as he opened the door. She was dressed in her nightdress and robe, and her hands were positioned behind her back. “This is… well, a surprise.” He stepped aside to allow her in. As she passed him, he got a glimpse of a box hiding behind her back. “Oh? What’s this?” He asked before he could really censor himself.

Anna kicked off her slippers and sat down on the edge of his bed. “It’s a box.” She said coyly.

He chuckled and came over to sit beside her. “I meant, what’s _in_ the box?”

Her eyes traveled down to rest on the neatly wrapped package in her hands. “It’s a secret.”

“Oh?” He tilted his head quizzically. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with your strange behavior over the last few weeks…”

Anna blushed and nodded, “it might. I’m uh, I’m sorry if I worried you.”

“I’ve certainly missed you.” He replied. “Especially in the evenings. Improper as it is, I’ve gotten quite used to you coming into my bed at night; waking up to see you first thing in the morning.”

“Believe me, I’ve missed you, too.” Anna admitted. “It’s been rather lonely.”

“Why did you shut me out?” He asked. “What have I done? Or, what did my brothers _say_ I’ve done?”

“Oh—nothing!” Anna exclaimed quickly and placed a comforting hand on his leg. “Hans, this isn’t about you at all. Well, not directly. It was for you—I mean, this,” her other hand shifted the box. “ _This_ is for you.”

He took another look at the gift. “We still have several days before Christmas.”

“I know.” She replied. “But to be honest, I couldn’t wait anymore. The sooner I give it, the sooner everything goes back to normal.”

With the box now in his hands, he looked it over from top to bottom and then gave it a gentle shake. It didn’t rattle.

Anna giggled as he inspected it. “Just open it, Silly.”

Hans flashed her a grin. “As you wish.” He wasn’t used to receiving gifts—not on Christmas, or any other time of year. Anything he did ever receive was usually some old hand-me-down from his brothers—never wrapped—and practically falling apart. But not this. This was new and packaged with tremendous care. And if this really was the reason Anna became so reclusive, it must be meaningful.

His fingers pried off the wrapping paper. It was an open box underneath covered with piles of tissue paper. He shot her a curious smile. She was looking back and forth between his face and the box, waiting patiently for the big reveal.

With the excess tissue removed, Hans froze in place. Staring back at him was a small painting. Careful fingers pried the canvas from the box, and he held it out to examine it properly. Beside him, he could hear Anna suck in a breath once it was out of the wrapping.

It was an image of the night sky. There was a small green tree line at the bottom of the canvas, and the rest of it was consumed with different shades of blues, pinks, and purples.

“It’s the Northern Lights.” Anna began to explain, “The sky is most awake this time of year,” She bit her lip as she recounted some of her more precious childhood memories. “When I was a little girl, I remember being so mesmerized by the lights when they shined bright into my bedroom. I would stay awake for hours watching the colors dance across the night sky.” Her hands began to fidget as she watched him admire it. “I’m so sorry for being so distant. It… it took me weeks to paint that, and as you can see, I’m no artist. It’s just, I thought if I kept to myself, there’d be less of a chance of my blabbering giving the surprise away. We both know how much I can ramble.”

“Anna…” He looked at her briefly with awe before glancing back at the gift. His fingers traced delicately along the edges of the canvas.

_She… she made this for **me**?_

“Do… do you like it?”

Hans flipped the painting over and was surprised to find something inscribed neatly on one of the lower corners.

**_From my heart to yours, my truest love—Anna_ **

“Oh, my darling,” He set the painting beside him on the bed and turned to her. His hands cupped her face and pulled her in for a long, tender kiss. “This… this is simply beautiful. I don’t just like it. I _love_ it.” He smiled and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

This was not what he was expecting at all. No one made him anything anymore. He hadn’t received anything homemade since the early years of his childhood and the stiff nannies that would care for him. But this was no fraying blanket or unraveling scarf—an item worthy for him because it wasn’t good enough for the older brothers. Essentially discarded trash. Just like they treated him. Not this. This held meaning. This was _art_. And in some way, somehow, she knew something about him that he never told her. Or at least, he didn’t ever remember telling her.

“How… how did—”

“—how did I know you enjoyed drawing? Painting?” She finished his sentence. “Lars told me. Though, the way he went about it, I think he was making fun of you for it. You were right. Your brothers really are jerks.” That comment earned a chuckle out of him. “Anyway, I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, and the one thing that’s helped put me at peace were these lights in the sky. It reminded me of happy times, and I guess I wanted to share some of that magic with you.”

“I’m…. I’m speechless.” He finally replied after several minutes of silence. “I’m in so much awe, I-I’m so moved, I really don’t know what to say.”

“Oh Hans, you don’t have to say anything.” She leaned in and kissed him softly. “Merry Christmas, my love.”


	2. Hans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being pressured by his brothers, Hans stresses over presenting Anna with a proper Christmas gift.

If there was one constant in Hans’ life, it was the feelings he held for his brothers.

Loathing.

He traveled to Arendelle to get a break from them.

He wooed and proposed to Princess Anna with the hope of escaping them.

He lives in and serves the people of Arendelle as regent to prove he’s _better_ than them.

None of that really mattered.

The victorious freedom was torn away the instant he received word that several members of his family were coming to Arendelle to visit—an informal occasion to meet their future sister-in-law. Hans expected Frederick. Viktor. Georg. Astor. They were the mature ones. Ones he wouldn’t feel too opposed to introducing to Princess Anna.

Instead, he got Tomas, Lars, Dirk and Derrick. Brothers he cared the absolute least for. They stayed for two weeks in the beginning of December. Those were two of the longest weeks in his entire life. The morning he saw them off at the docks was a lovely one indeed. Anna stayed behind, using the excuse of feeling unwell. Hans knew it was really because she couldn’t stand their presence any longer. And he really couldn’t blame her.

Unfortunately, even with them gone, their criticisms still rang loudly in his ears.

_“Desperate, were we?”_

_“You’ve got some nerve. Proposing to a girl you’ve barely met.”_

_“She’s a fool for agreeing to marry you.”_

_“Does she know what she’s getting herself into? Does she know you murdered her sister?”_

_You couldn’t even have the decency to present her a ring? Have you any—_ ”

In a frustrated growl, Hans threw the draft he had been working on across the study. He then slouched in his chair and ran his hand over his face. There was no way he could concentrate now. His brothers weren’t his only disruption either. Anna had popped into the study twice already this evening wondering when he was going to stop for the day.

_Anna…_.

She was an even bigger distraction. He reached forward and opened the top drawer of the desk. Sitting atop a stack of parchment was a little black box.

_I don’t like being pressured_ … He sighed and picked the box up. With it now sitting open on the desk surface, he couldn’t help but stare at the gem inside, and the way it sparkled against the light from the fireplace.

_This isn’t exactly what I imagined giving to Anna, but it’s the best I could do on such short notice. Not that this isn’t beautiful or worthy of her hand in its own right._ He glanced away towards the window. A light flurry was coming down. _Very appropriate weather for Christmastime,_ he supposed. It didn’t snow much in the Isles. But Anna enjoyed snow. Even if it did remind her of her late-sister.

_I suppose a gift like this is suitable for Christmas. I just wish I had more time to prepare._

* * *

“Dinner was delicious!” Anna beamed as she and Hans walked down the castle corridor.

“It really was. We’ll have to give Cook our compliments.” He smiled. “The staff really outdid themselves.”

“She always does on Christmas.” Anna replied. They passed a window and she gasped, pulling away from his arm to put her hands on the glass. “Oh! It’s still snowing! Look! There’s a nice layer out there. And plenty more by tomorrow morning.”

“I take it, it always snows this time of year?”

She giggled in response. “Hans, it’s winter. It snows all season long here in Arendelle. Tonight, it’s just extra magical because its Christmas eve.” She tore herself away from the window and reclaimed his arm.

“Something I’ll have to get used to.”

She smiled up at him and leaned into his side as they continued to walk. It wasn’t until they were passing his study when he pulled her aside and reached for the door handle.

“Wait here a moment?” He asked her. Once she nodded and let go of him, he stepped into the room and went right for the desk. Every few seconds, he glanced towards the doorway to make sure Anna wasn’t looking. Acting fast, and with the ring safely secured in his waistcoat pocket, he returned to the hall for his fiancee.

“What were you doing?” Anna asked curiously as he shut the door behind him.

“O-oh. You know, just cleaning up. I left a mess all over the desk.”

She made a face. “Really? That couldn’t have waited?”

“You know me. I like things tidy.” He said and offered his arm once more. “So, it’s Christmas Eve. Any little traditions you’d like to uphold?”

They walked in silence for a few minutes while she thought it over. “No, not really.” She finally replied, “My family didn’t have a lot of traditions when I was growing up. N-not with me and Elsa apart. But that doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s _us_ now. We can do whatever we want.”

“And I’ll do whatever _you_ want.” He replied with a soft smile. “My evening is your evening.”

“Well…” Anna tapped her fingers against his arm. “If it’s up to me, how does a quiet evening by the fire sound? I’d love for us to just cuddle up and relax.”

“I can hardly refuse.” He said. “Shall I grab a book? We can read together.”

“Ooh, yes!” She eagerly steered him down the nearest corridor towards the small library. It didn’t take long for her to get all cozy on the chaise while he picked out a book off the shelf. When he turned around, he frowned and crossed his arms. “Now, where am _I_ supposed to sit?”

Anna giggled, sat up and adjusted the plush blanket draped across her.

“Well, that’s better.” He placed the book down on the side table but didn’t make any move to sit down beside her.

“Well?” She raised her brow. “You coming? The sofa isn’t going to warm itself, y’know.”

“I know.” He cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together nervously. “There’s something I want to do first.”

“Oh. Um, okay.”

_God, why am I panicking so much? It’s not like this is the real deal. She’s already agreed to marry me. This is just a gift. A physical representation of our agreement. Pull yourself together._

“I have something for you,” he began, “it wouldn’t be a proper Christmas if we didn’t exchange something. After all, you gave me that beautiful painting a few days ago.”

She blushed, “Oh Hans… you didn’t have to.”

He glanced around the library, hoping something would give some cue where to start. After all, this is the room where it all went down—where Anna clung to him for dear life, where she begged for true love’s kiss to save her, where he decided once and for all how he would secure his future.

_I suppose it’s fitting that this should happen in here, too._

Hans stepped closer to the chaise and sat down on the edge of the cushion, right where Anna was sitting. His one hand reached into the waistcoat pocket and grabbed at the loose ring inside.

“This will probably seem a bit silly to you. After all, this won’t come as too much of a surprise.” He closed his eyes briefly and breathed in deeply. “I know this is not exactly how we pictured our future would turn out. You… lost your sister, you’ve become queen, and we’re all left picking up the pieces of a disastrous summer instead of being happily married like we originally wanted.”

Anna’s face turned sympathetic and her hand reached out to touch his arm. “It’s alright—”

His free hand went out and with his index finger, he pushed it against her lips to silence her. “Darling, please…”

“Sorry.”

He cleared his throat before continuing, “Nothing about us follows any societal expectations. I nearly knocked you into the fjord upon our first meeting. And my proposal was purely spur-of-the-moment. Still, it was genuine. And… I suppose… for Christmas, I want to make it a bit more official. I want to make _us_ more official.” His hand pulled out of his pocket and he showed her the ring nestled in his fingers. It was dainty. A narrow gold band with a small pearl surrounded by a trio of tiny diamonds on each side. Not flashy nor understated.

Her eyes landed on the ring and she gasped with her hands covering her mouth in surprise.

“H-Hans??”

His gaze dropped to the jewel in his hand. “The last few months have been hard on us both, and I want there to be something for us to look forward to. We can—and _will_ —still have our happily ever after. Maybe with this, it could start right now.”

Anna was looking upon him wide-eyed, awestruck, and with a growing smile across her face, she held out her left hand and watched excitedly as he slid the ring onto her ring finger. It shimmered and the light, and she brought her hand towards her face to admire it up close.

“I… I hope it’s suitable—”

“Oh Hans!” She cried out and threw her arms around him. “I love it! A symbol of our true love.” She couldn’t help but gush over how it looked on her finger. “But you didn’t have to do this. Our love is still official without it.” 

_…I wish I knew that earlier. I could have saved myself a whole lot of grief recently._ “I… I still wanted to. You deserve something nice to wear on your hand.”

Anna smiled warmly at him and then glanced back down at the ring. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Not nearly as beautiful as you are, my dear.” Relief washed over him and he let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding in. That went a lot easier than he thought it would. There wasn’t anything left to do now but to revel in her excitement. He allowed his fingers to trace down her cheek, and then pulled her in for a kiss. “Merry Christmas, Anna.”


End file.
